BRIDPORT and District Citizens Advice has received more than £2,000 in grant funding which will enable them to train volunteers.

The organisation has received a £2,412 funding boost to enable it to purchase specialist training for its advice team, courtesy of the Wessex Water Foundation's recovery fund.

Most of the advice team are volunteers and it is hoped that the training will help improve their knowledge and enable them to give better advice to clients.

The foundation’s recovery fund aims to support local organisations and charities affected by the coronavirus pandemic, helping to support communities and build resilience for the future.

Bridport and District Citizens Advice provides free, confidential advice to people within the community facing problems including with benefits, debt, employment, and housing.

Rovarn Wickremasinghe, chief officer of Bridport and District Citizens Advice, said “This grant will enable us to make sure our advice team can deliver the highest quality advice to those in difficulty to improve their situations. The pandemic has challenged us all and our service has needed to adapt. Our office door may be closed but our services to the public are very much open.”

The Wessex Water Foundation is a multi-million-pound initiative, launched in June 2020, which provides a dedicated funding stream for projects across the region.

It is run in partnership with the Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, and Quartet Community Foundations and from April 2021 it will provide at least half a million pounds of funding every year to support local community groups, environmental projects, and charities helping those who are suffering the consequences of poverty through low income or unemployment.

To find out more about Bridport and District Citizens Advice and how to contact visit https://www.bridportca.org.uk/